This invention relates to mud application assemblies.
More particularly, the present invention relates to mud application assemblies including mud guns and associated mud hoppers.
Mud guns, which are used to apply xe2x80x9cmudxe2x80x9d or joint compound to walls, ceilings, etc. are well known in the art. In this disclosure, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the term xe2x80x9cmudxe2x80x9d as used in conjunction with the various apparatus includes any material that can be dispensed by the disclosed structures. Also, hoppers for temporarily storing the mud and allowing the mud to flow into the gun as the mud is applied are well known. However, several problems are prevalent in these prior art devices that can cause problems during usage.
The mud guns generally extrude the mud through a nozzle at the front of the gun. Different sized and shaped nozzles are used in different work related applications. Each time the nozzle is changed the gun must be emptied so that mud does not flow out as one nozzle is removed and another nozzle is attached. Even with the emptying of the mud gun the task of changing the nozzle can be a relatively messy task. Further, the spare nozzles must be stored in a relatively accessible place.
Another problem that is prevalent in the mud gun and hopper apparatus is that mud generally must flow under the force of gravity from the hopper into the gun. In many applications and gun orientations the mud does not flow evenly and continuously. Further, the hopper must be substantially full to achieve an even and continuous flow. As the mud in the hopper becomes depleted, there is a tendency for it to hang-up in the corners so that much time and effort is required to get all of the mud to flow out of the hopper or the operator must refill the hopper more often without actually using all of the mud in the hopper.
It would be highly advantageous, therefore, to remedy the foregoing and other deficiencies inherent in the prior 13 art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved mud gun for use in applying joint compound to drywall joints and the like.
Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved mud gun that is easier to use.
And another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved mud hopper for use with a mud gun.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved mud hopper for use with mud guns which is easier to use and more efficient.
Briefly, to achieve the desired objects of the present invention in accordance with a preferred embodiment, provided is a mud application assembly including a mud hopper having an outlet orifice attachable to a mud gun and through which mud will flow into an attached mud gun, a cover attached to the mud hopper and rotatable between an open position for filling the hopper with mud and a closed position substantially covering a mud-receiving opening of the hopper during operation, and a releasable biasing structure coupled to the hopper for applying a bias to force mud contained in the hopper toward the outlet orifice.
To further achieve the desired objects of the present invention in accordance with a preferred embodiment, provided is a mud application assembly including a mud gun having a hollow body with a mud inlet orifice and a mud outlet orifice. The body further includes an air inlet constructed to have a source of pressurized air attached so that when air under pressure is introduced into the air inlet of the mud gun, mud entering through the inlet orifice is forced out through the outlet orifice. A nozzle chassis is affixed to the mud gun with a plurality of nozzles movably attached thereto. Each nozzle of the plurality of nozzles is movable between a stored position and a position aligned with the outlet orifice of the mud gun so that only one nozzle of the plurality of nozzles is aligned with the outlet orifice at a time.